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Ask the Expert: The Bounce Back Factor

Dr. Rebekah Pershing of TriHealth's Bethesda Family Medicine Residency and School-Based Behavioral Health Program speaks with Local 12’s Liz Bonis about the importance of staying positive and bouncing back during hard times – like losing your job or being diagnosed with cancer.

Adopting a Positive Outlook

Part of bouncing back means viewing your current situation with a positive attitude. “Having a transition in my job after 20 years is so huge that instead of continuing on that same path, I see it as an opportunity to do something completely new,” Meredith Kelley explains.

On the other hand, Mary Beth Hall bounced back from a breast cancer diagnosis by changing her job, focusing on her health and writing a book, Lessons from a Bald Chick.

The Bounce Back Factor: Taking the Right Approach

Many people react negatively to adverse situations, and those feelings can evolve into physical symptoms.

“It is important, if you start a bounce back journey, that you see a healthcare provider and let them know just what you’re feeling [and] make sure nothing else is biologically or physically wrong,” Dr. Pershing explains.

She also suggests:

Seeking out “The Three Gratitudes.” Start or end each day by thinking of three things you are truly grateful for.

Looking for the positive. “You may have lost your job, but you still have your health and relationships,” Dr. Pershing points out.

Changing the stressor or the way you deal with stress. Meredith did this by connecting with community activities that she never took the time to do before. "It helps every day," she says.

Learn more about ways to deal with hardship in the TriHealth.com Health Library: